Black Bean and Corn Salad (or Salsa!)

Black Bean and Corn Salad features tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeño, and a zippy lime vinaigrette for an easy, zesty, addictive side dish. Or enjoy this recipe as Black Bean and Corn Salsa instead, for a delicious appetizer to dip up with chips!

For more recipes showcasing fresh, plump tomatoes, you'll also enjoy amazing Marinated Tomatoes, zippy Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, or 30-Minute Fresh Tomato Marinara!

Sometimes a salad is more than just a salad. And that's certainly the case when it comes to this Black Bean and Corn Salad, which additionally features juicy tomatoes, bright cilantro, and zippy jalapeños...and which can also be enjoyed as a salsa rather than a salad!

When I'm serving enchiladas or tacos or other Tex-Mex fare, I make this Black Bean and Corn Salad.

When I'm throwing a party and need a hearty dip to go with tortilla chips, I call it black bean and corn salsa instead.

If I want a flavor-infused topping for otherwise-blah chicken or fish, this recipe is the antidote.

And when the garden is overrun with tomatoes and cilantro but I'm all salsa-ed out (who am I kidding? I could never get tired of salsa), I make this corn and black bean salad yet again!

By now, you've probably gotten the hint that Black Bean and Corn Salad is a pretty versatile recipe. Around my house, it's much loved as well. Even my non-tomato-liking husband (help me comprehend) happily eats it. And, let me tell you, not many recipes can get him to eat an uncooked tomato!

There are many variations out there of black bean corn salad. As already mentioned, it's sometimes also known as black bean and corn salsa, and even that can go by a variety of names. Texas Caviar, anyone?

But I can promise you that this particular incarnation of this recipe -- whatever you want to call it -- is positively THE BEST!

Ingredients

Let's start with a discussion of what it takes to make this concoction of black beans and corn (and so much more), shall we?

• Canned black beans. Rinsed and drained.
• Frozen corn. Thawed.
  • If you detect that some of the corn in these photos looks yellow and some of it looks white...no, there is nothing wrong with your computer monitor. When I can find bicolor corn in the freezer section, I like to use both shades to make this recipe. Not because yellow and white corn taste any different, but because they sure do look purty. 😉
  • Alternatively, if fresh corn is in season and you happen to have some on hand, it's particularly delightful in this recipe! Just be sure to employ the easiest, tastiest way to cook fresh corn before slicing it off and adding it to this recipe...
• Small tomatoes. I typically use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and halve or quarter them, depending on size. Or you can use larger tomatoes and simply seed and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
• Jalapeños. Minced. Optional, but I don't think you should leave out the jalapeños because they add yet another flavor profile to this yummy recipe.
  • If you prefer a mild salad, just make sure to remove and discard all of the seeds and membranes before dicing the jalapeños very finely. If you're still afraid, use just one jalapeño instead of two.
  • On the other hand, if you can handle the heat, leave the seeds and membranes intact when you mince your peppers.
• Fresh cilantro. Chopped. In my opinion, the more, the merrier! Of course, feel free to leave it out if you're a cilantro hater. 😉
• EVOO, lime juice, + red wine vinegar. The base of the fresh lime vinaigrette to dress your Black Bean and Corn Salad. I recommend using fresh-squeezed lime juice, but I often use bottled lime juice in a pinch, as long as the bottled lime juice contains only -- you guessed it -- lime juice. 🙂
• Fresh garlic. Minced. To flavor the vinaigrette.
• Salt + pepper. To season the vinaigrette.

How to Make Black Bean and Corn Salad

Even though it's made fresh and from scratch, this Black Bean and Corn Salad is ridiculously quick and easy to make!

1. First, make the dressing. You can either whisk all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl until well blended, or shake everything up in a tightly-sealed jar.

2. Rinse and drain your canned black beans and transfer them to a very large bowl.
3. Thaw your frozen corn by placing it in a colander and running it under warm water; drain well and add it to the bowl o' beans.
4. Add diced tomatoes, minced jalapeños, and chopped cilantro to the bowl
5. Pour the lime vinaigrette all over the top.

6. Gently mix all of the ingredients with a large spoon until nice and combined.

7. Serve and ENJOY!

I think what makes this dish so good are all of the flavors going on at the same time. You have the creamy black beans, the sweet corn, and the refreshing cilantro balanced out by the bright, acidic tomatoes. Then all of that yumminess is enveloped in a garlicky, lime-infused vinaigrette that'll make you want to shout "Olé!"

Okayyy...maybe you'll only shout "Olé!" if you've had a few too many margaritas to accompany your Mexican fare. But that's neither here nor there.

Options for Serving

Now I'm not gonna lie. Even when I enjoy this Black Bean and Corn Salad as a side dish, I still like to scoop it up with chips. The crunch is a nice contrast to the other textures going on. Yessirrrr, I'm all about the textures.

That being said, you can most certainly serve it as a black bean and corn salsa appetizer instead.

Furthermore, while plain tortilla chips are just dandy, the lightly seasoned ones make even tastier mediums for scooping because they really seem to bring out the sweetness of the corn. I'm not talking about Nacho Cheese Doritos here, y'all. But if you are lucky enough to live somewhere that sells Julio's tortilla chips, they are awesome with this recipe (or with anything else, but I digress). Sometimes I can also find seasonal Hatch Green Chile tortilla chips at my grocery store, and they make for pretty tasty dippers as well.

A Note About the Lime Vinaigrette

The last thing I want to mention is that the delectable dressing used to coat this salad is actually very concentrated. It needs to be, because it's going to be spread out over a bunch of ingredients!

That being said, just don't think that you can splash it on a salad of mixed greens as-is. I'm sure you could turn it into a traditional salad dressing by adding more olive oil and cutting back on the salt and pepper.

But the way it's mixed according to the recipe directions ends up being perfect for this Black Bean and Corn Salad...so don't be afraid of how strong it is if you happen to taste-test it before stirring it into the salad.

So have I convinced you to try this salad/salsa/dip/bowl-o'-summer-deliciousness?

I hope so! It's healthy, it's summer-y, it's simple, and it's scrumptious!

More Summer Sides

• Mango Salsa with Avocado
• Fiesta Pasta Salad
• Corn Tomato Avocado Salad
• Warm German Potato Salad

Post originally published on July 11, 2013, and updated on July 3, 2019, May 26, 2021, and May 29, 2024.

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